Head Coach Niya Butts finished her first year at the University of Arizona with a 12-19 record, 4-14 in the Pac 10. After the season she cleaned house and released four of her five frosh players. Gone are Courtney Clements who started 19 games and averaged 10 points per game, Amani Butler, Malia Nahinu and Jhakia McDonald who started all five games she played, averaging 7 points per game. That and graduation left the Wildcats with five players in the spring.
Butts replaced the seven who graduated or left with four JC transfers and an incoming frosh. They also have a transfer from Arkansas who will sit out this season.
Arizona does have four returnees who started at least 13 games last season, and one of the top players in the West, Ify Ibekwe, but the JC players will be asked to contribute many minutes and results immediately. History doesn’t indicate that this is likely to happen.
Arizona plays a decent non conference schedule this season with San Diego State, Mississippi, Georgia Tech and New Mexico. Last year they were 8-4 pre Pac 10, and that would be good start for the Wildcats this year.
Ify Ibekwe is a 6-1 Jr who is one of only four West Coast Players on the Wooden Watch List. Last season she really came on as a Pac 10 star, scoring almost 16 points per game and a great 11.6 rebounds per game. Ify will be at the 4 position, and will certainly be the player other teams have to shut down. She’s fun to watch and the backbone of the Wildcat team.
Jennifer Kioa is a 6-4 Center and a transfer from Foothill College where she averaged almost 12 points per game and 7 rebounds while being named all State JC. She was ranked the 7th and 9th Center and 26th and 32nd overall player by two JC publications. I saw her play several times in the San Francisco ProAm and I think she will contribute right away. That’s good for the Wildcats, as she has to be the starting Center immediately. Jennifer will be backed by another JC transfer, 6-3 Amanda Pierson. Amanda averaged 12 points and 6 rebounds as a JC sophomore last year. As a Sr in High School she averaged 16 points and 8 rebounds per game. Amanda comes from Kansas.
Soana Lucet is another JC player and the only other Wildcat player over 5-10. That’s right; only four Wildcats are taller than 5-10. Soana is a native of New Caldedonia and transferred from the College of Southern Idaho. She is the first female player from her country to play college basketball in the US. She was ranked the # 3 Power Forward and # 4 overall JC player. At JC last season she averaged 21 points and 8 rebounds. While the Wildcats may often use three guards, Soana will certainly see quite a bit of playing time.
5-6 Sr Ashley Frazier stated every game last year for the Wildcats at the Point Guard. Last season she averaged 7 points and 4 assists per game, and a 1:1 assist to turnover ratio. Ashley was in her first season as she was also a JC transfer.
Reiko Thomas will be the other starting guard, as she started 19 games last season while averaging 10 points per game. She was the top 3 point shooter, of those taking more than one per game, but only hit 30%. Reiko is a 5-8 soph and the only player of the 5 person frosh class to stay at Arizona. She did hit 82% of her Free Throws, and was a High School teammate of Ify’s.
Davellyn Whyte is a 5-10 frosh who was the Gatorade POY in Arizona last year. She is the daughter of former Major Leaguer Devon Whyte. She will fight for a starting position if three guards, with returnee 5-10 redshirt soph Tasha Dickey. Tasha sat out last season with an injury, after averaging 7 points per game while starting 21 games in 2007-08. Tasha’s Father was a Football player at Arizona and her Mother was a Basketball player at Arizona.
Other players are 5-5 Jr Guard Faihza Hill, a walk on who scored 2.5 points per game while starting 13 games. Her Dad played Football at Purdue and her Mom played Basketball at Cal. Her major: Molecular and Cellular Biology. Brooke Jackson is another JC transfer and will be a soph. She had a storied High School career in Arizona, scoring 2,250 points and averaging 18 per game over her four year career. This included 271 Three’s and 41% from the deep line. She scored 16 points per game including hitting 45% from Three as a JC frosh last year.
The Wildcats will have 10 players, 9 on scholarship for the season, but also have Shanita Arnold who must sit out this season after transferring from Arkansas. Last season she started every game for the Razorbacks and scored almost 6 points per game. Her high was 22 points on 6 of 11 from Three. Mike White rated Arnold the # 24 High School player in the country 3 years ago. She will have two seasons to play starting next season.
The Wildcats will certainly struggle in the Pac 10 this year. It’ll be hard to finish above 8th place. However they certainly have an opportunity to prove themselves with some good non conferences wins.
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